It is desirable to have protection from ambient weather conditions or elements when outdoors. Such ambient weather conditions could include wind, rain, sleet, snow, temperature, and UV rays. For example, in the case of those engaged in, or observing ice fishing—namely, ice fishers or anglers—there is typically little or no natural protection from the elements. Other forms of outdoor activities may similarly expose outdoorsmen to elements from which they wish to be shielded. Accordingly, ice anglers and other outdoorsmen utilize various types of fixed and portable shelters or enclosures to shield them from the elements. Representative examples of various portable shelters are described in the following U.S. Patents, the disclosures of which are now incorporated herein by reference, and include:
U.S. Pat. No.PatenteeIssue/Pub. DateU.S. Pat. No. 7,320,332ReisJan. 22, 2008U.S. Pat. No. 6,802,327KossOct. 12, 2004U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,378TanasychukJul. 28, 1992U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,463PetersOct. 22, 1991U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,243FosterJul. 3, 1990U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,893Klopfenstein et al.May 22, 1990U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,649TolomayJan. 10, 1989U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,597ComptonApr. 18, 1978U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,270HentgesJul. 30, 1974U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,507KashubaMar. 16, 1971US 2010/0307550Silverberg et al.Dec. 9, 2010
The illustrative embodiments disclosed herein generally comprise an envelope or shell of suitable flexible material, that is generally impervious to the weather conditions that are likely to be encountered. Illustratively the shell is supported by a collapsible frame. While the illustrative enclosure or shelter may take any suitable shape, illustratively it has a generally parallelepiped shape.
It is desirable to provide a lightweight collapsible shelter.
It is desirable to provide a portable shelter having a removable floor.
It is further desirable to insulate the floor and/or the sides and/or the ceiling of the portable enclosure, especially for use in ice angling. Conventional insulating materials, such as goose down, stiff insulating foam or synthetic fibers, to reduce the loss of heat from a user or angler attempt to minimize the heat loss from a user, but none of these insulating materials comprise a radiant barrier that reflects or retains within the enclosure or shelter any desired heating or cooling sources or waves, for example and without limitation the user's body heat back inside the enclosure. Also, the aforementioned insulating materials are not readily washable. Another disadvantage of these insulating materials is that they increase the bulk of an enclosure, which makes a conventional enclosure more difficult to carry and store. A portable enclosure that is easy to manufacture, is easy to use, is lightweight, is easy to carry, is easy to store, is washable and is highly effective at keeping the user warm would be desirable.
Representative examples of a radiant insulation system for use in other than a portable enclosure or shelter includes the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,845, issued Feb. 13, 2001; U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,897,167 issued May 24, 2005; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,742, issued Dec. 13, 2005, each to Gordon, the disclosures of which are now incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention may comprise one or more of the following features and combinations thereof.
The shell is illustratively a generally parallelepiped configuration having a top portion, ceiling or cap as well as integral side portions. Other desired shapes fall within the scope of the invention including for example and without limitation, tetrahedrons, hexahedrons, dodecahedrons, icosahedron, cubes, pyramids, prisms, cones, cylinders, plinths, spheres, and the like. The side portions illustratively may include a side access opening. The side opening may be secured by any suitable means for example through the use of a zipper or a cooperating hook and loop system such as Velcro. Clear portions, for example windows, may be integrated into the side and/or top portions. The shelter may include an integrated or a separate floor. The floor may include a plurality of openings or apertures extending therethrough. The apertures may be aligned with holes opening through for example ice overlaying a body of water. For example, holes may be drilled or cut through, for example, the ice layer on a lake. The top center of the cap illustratively includes a loop. The center of each of the side portions illustratively includes a loop. The shelter may also include a skirt extending around the bottom of the shelter opposite the cap and extending outwardly away from the side portions. An insulation system may be integrated into the shelter. The insulation system may be integrated into the cap, into the side portions, into the floor, or into any combination of the foregoing. The insulation system illustratively may include a radiant barrier. The shelter may be part of a kit or portable system. The kit or portable system may comprise the shelter, along with an anchor system, and a transport system. The anchor system illustratively may comprise anchor members, tie members, and a storage pouch. The transport system may comprise a storage bag or tote. Illustratively, the storage bag may receive therein at least the shelter, with or without the floor and the anchor system.
The portable enclosure or shelter may be provided with an insulation system in various portions of the enclosure as desired. While the insulated portions may comprise any suitable insulation, it is desirable to use the illustrative insulation system which illustratively protects a user in freezing temperatures without adding undue bulk, weight and/or inflexibility to the enclosure. Illustratively, the insulation system comprises a multilayer construction including an outer covering, a radiant barrier and an inner covering where the radiant barrier illustratively is sandwiched between the outer cover and the inner cover. The radiant barrier illustratively reflects the user's, for example and without limitation an angler, body heat back inside the enclosure and keeps the user or angler warm relative to outside ambient temperatures. Illustratively, the insulation system also reflects back and thereby retains inside the enclosure any other source of heat, for example a fire or radiant heater, emanating from inside the enclosure. Illustratively, the insulation system could also reflect back any cold waves. Similarly, the insulation system can reflect away from penetrating inside the enclosure any outside source of heat or cold. The enclosure illustratively remains relatively flexible, lightweight and readily washable despite the use of the radiant barrier in the insulation system. A coating may be added to the top of the floor portion to provide a non-skid surface for walking on, and/or to the bottom of the floor portion to ensure the floor does not move relative to any surface supporting the floor for example a slick surface such as ice.
The illustrative embodiments provide a shelter having an insulation system that reflects heat back inside the shelter to keep a user warm for extended periods, even when the temperature on the outside of the shelter is very cold including well below freezing. Illustratively, the illustrative embodiments also provide a shelter having an insulation system that reflects relatively cold waves back inside the shelter to keep a user cool for extended periods, even when the temperature on the outside of the shelter is very warm. It will be appreciated that the insulation system also serves to reflect away from the inside of the shelter any outside ambient air, thereby serving as a barrier to keep the inside air and the outside air separate in order to maintain the inside at either a warmer or cooler temperature, as desired, relative to the outside ambient temperature. Still, the shelter remains flexible, lightweight, easy to carry, easy to store and readily washable. The floor portion illustratively is removable.
Illustratively, the insulation system comprises an outer covering, a radiant barrier, and an inner covering. The radiant barrier illustratively may comprise two thin sheets of aluminum foil, extruded polymer, and a reinforcing scrim. The extruded polymer and the reinforcing scrim illustratively are sandwiched between the two sheets of aluminum foil to form the radiant barrier. The radiant barrier provides an insulation system that is flexible, lightweight, water-resistant and washable. The radiant barrier reflects the heat from inside the shelter back inside the shelter to keep the user warm relative to temperatures on the outside of the shelter.
Another illustrative insulation system may comprise an outer covering, a radiant bubble barrier and an inner covering. The radiant bubble barrier illustratively comprises two thin sheets of aluminum foil and two sheets of polymeric material with a plurality of air-bubbles between the polymeric sheets. The two polymeric sheets with the plurality of air bubbles between the polymeric sheets are sandwiched between the two sheets of aluminum foil. The air trapped between the two sheets of polymeric material and the two sheets of aluminum foil in the radiant bubble barrier, used in the bottom panel, enhance the insulating effectiveness of the insulation system. The radiant bubble barrier may also provide padding to the floor to increase the comfort of a user or angler situated thereon. The radiant bubble barrier provides an illustrative insulation system that is flexible, lightweight, water-resistant and washable.
It is an object of the invention to provide an insulation system that reflects the user's body heat or other heat source back inside the shelter to increase the effectiveness of keeping the occupant warm when inside the shelter. Reflecting the wearer's heat back into the shelter is accomplished in a novel way by using a radiant barrier or a combination of a radiant barrier and a radiant bubble barrier instead of using normal insulating materials.
It is an object of the invention to provide a shelter that is easy to manufacture and can be manufactured at a low cost.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a shelter that is lightweight and can be stored in a small space and is easy to carry and has a removable insulated floor.
These and other objects and aspects of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment.